My friend and laptop guy have a slightly tense conversation which ends like this;

Friend: :O

Me: ?:)

Friend:I've been conned.

Me:What?

Friend: Ya.

Me:How?

Friend: Actually, he's not her cousin.

Me: …huh?

I don't know what that means.

Friend: :O

Me: O.O?

Friend: This trick is so brilliant…

[gotcha!]

And this is what had happened:

Girl sees someone selling laptop online.

He was selling for rm2900.

She re-promotes it for rm2000.

Someone wants to buy.

She arranges a meet-up with the original seller and the new buyer.

But.

She tells the seller - I want to buy but my friend is going to check everything is fine. If he says ok, I will transfer you the money then you can give it to him. Tell him you're my cousin because (…I missed this part, not sure how she managed to pull it off, but she did).

She tells the buyer - My cousin has my laptop, tell him you're my friend or he'll put the price up. If the laptop looks ok, transfer the money to me and then I'll confirm with him and tell him to give you the laptop.

Of course, halfway through this transaction - once she has the money - she stops picking up the phone and disappears.